THE FIGHT

 ^“For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:4 NIV)

Monday, as I was looking at some bone-in pork chops on display behind the refrigerated counter in the meat section, I overheard two men, probably in their late thirties, waiting with great patience for the butcher who could be seen in the refrigerated room adjacent to look up and notice that some customers were waiting for his assistance. One of the men had a thick bandage on one hand and a large band-aid over one of his eyes. The other young man asks, “What happened to you?” The bandaged up, banged-up man says, “I got into a fight Saturday night.” I have to give the inquiring man some credit because he did not ask for all the details of the fight.  Instead, he said, “I have never been in a fight at any time in my life.”  Because I didn’t want to be a meddler, I did not open my mouth. But the unspoken words that popped up in my mind immediately were, “Yeah, right!”

My thought that quickly, immediately came to my mind was not accusatory or on that would infer that he was lying. It is quite true that this man might have never been in a physical fight, but I know he has been in more than one fight. Guess what? So have we! We fight the temptation to stay in bed when we should be going to work or at our desk working or tending to housework. We fight against the doctor’s dietary restrictions. We fight physical afflictions. We fight insomnia at times. We fight against the urging of the Holy Spirit to do something or to not do something. We fight against the reality that we age, and aging includes physical changes in our bodies. We fight against change in general.  Some of us fight against the help the younger ones try to give us to make us more technologically savvy. When trying to help them with their math homework, we fight against the “new math.” Right? Smile!

Oh, indeed we all fight! Sometimes, if it is before we get our morning coffee and we fight against smiling or even speaking to those in the house. Who are not addicted to caffeine. Help us Lord!

We fight with our hurts and even the guilt that comes from being the one who hurt someone or many others. We fight with the challenge to do our best, deciding at times to just do enough to get by. We fight getting up Sunday after Sunday to go to church. Well, not you, of course. But some do! Others fight against the impact of the pandemic that we experienced not that long ago, and they are unwilling to resume doing the things they used to do, including how they were once engaged with the saints in doing kingdom work.

I believe I am telling you right, my friend. My listing of our fights in not exhaustive. I could probably never come to an end this morning. All I can say in summary is that we all find ourselves engaged in “The Fight,” in one way or the other every single day. Actually, if the truth be told, the title of this meditation should have been plural and said, “The Fights,” for we find ourselves fighting against more than one thing most of the times.

Cheer up! I have some good news for you! Whatever the nature of your fight, regardless of the strength of your opponent or the opposing views and attitudes, we can come out a winner. How so? It’s simple! Don’t fight “The Fight” by yourself. Depend on the Lord! Let Him lead you to victory! After all, it really is not your battle. Think about it! Be blessed!

“… for the battle is not yours, but God’s. (2 Chronicles 20:15b)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King